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RFI
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
Outreach to Stakeholders for Potential Development of the East and West Lots at New Haven Union Station
On behalf of the New Haven Union Station Partnership, including the Connecticut Department of Transportation and the City of New Haven, the New Haven Parking Authority (NHPA) is issuing this request for information from interested parties with regard to the potential development of the East and West Lots at New Haven Union Station.
New Haven Parking Authority
New Haven, Connecticut
NHPA Project #21-023 B
The RFI period for NHPA Project #21-023 B is now closed.
Thank you for your participation.
Videos/Other Documents
Previously Asked Questions:
Click a question to view the response.
What will the zoning be for the parcels which developer’s will respond to?
The RFI process that is happening now will help inform a new zoning for the campus. The intent is to create an underlying PDD zone which will happen in the Summer and Fall of 2022, ahead of any RFQ or RFP released by the Partnership for developer to respond. It is not guaranteed that land will be transferred fee simple, however if and when that occurs, the City intends to have the underlying PDD in place before any response from developers come in for the project.
What’s the timeline of this project?
The timeline of the project will be very dependent on a few items, notably 1) timing of rezoning of Union Station Campus 2) potential developer responses, and 3) funding availability.
Great to see a plan to improve the station area. I am often down in New Haven and traveling through Union station is bleak. I wish the neighborhood was more than just parking lots. In terms of the presentedplans - that is A LOT of parking. I would recommend reducing the scope unless the plan is for that to becomea "neighborhood" lot and allow nearby development without parking. As a general comment, skybridges killactivity, all efforts should be made to reduce their use when not absolutely necessary, let pedestrians crossthe properties at grade while covered (Option C of the parking garage). Options A and C for the building aresuperior plans to Option B. More important than these two lots is working with the city to improve/eliminate zoning restrictions and parking minimums in the surrounding neighborhood.
We appreciate your perceptive observations. The proposed plan is to eliminate the parking lot on the east side to create a new private development opportunity. The west lot will be a multi-modal facility, including buses, taxis, kiss-and-ride, public restrooms, enhanced pedestrian access to Station, accommodate truck loading and trash removal services for Building accommodate access to rear of Building and adjacent properties, and contain some street frontage commercial activity for vibrancy. Due to historic building site considerations, the number of structured parking spaces on the west lot will be capped at approximately 450. The total number of parking spaces to be provided on these two parcels is set at 600.The City is also reviewing and updating zoning regulations for the area.
Underutilized and vacant lots - Define "underutilized". Would they be better utilized if the vacant lots are developed first? Ground transportation often uses the same infrastructure as cars - How to improve multimodal travel without improving car travel? If total nearby parking spaces are fewer, will train ridership in general be affected - more or less? DoAmtrak travelers park near the station? How many spaces does Amtrak need (over time)? Regional impact - make cars park farther out in the suburbs to ride the train through the city, or change trains, rather than park at the last station of MetroNorth
Thank you for your thoughtful inquiries. The State and the City have entered into a Partnership to develop and enhance the Union Station campus, including the east lot (now a parking lot of approximately 250 parking spaces) and the west lot (now mainly for intercity buses and rental cars). The total number of parking spaces to be provided on these parcels is set at 600. The proposed development of the east and west lots will increase the existing parking capacity supply by approximately 350 spaces. Based on current occupancy, this is expected to be sufficient for the future planning horizon. Part of the planned improvements also includes local roadways and involves a “road diet” to optimize the number of vehicular travel lanes, a dedicated bicycle track (lanes), shuttle bus pick-up/drop off, taxi staging, staging for mobility-as-a-service/ride-hailing (e.g., Uber, Lyft),streetscape improvements, traffic signal installation and improvements, a potential roundabout, and exterior wayfinding signage.
This is an exciting opportunity for public private partnership and transit-oriented development. I am interested in any and all information which we can share with our developer clients who may be interested in responding to this opportunity. Thank you.
Thank you for your interest. A variety of information is posted on the Union Station Partnership website. We will add your name to the list of interested parties for the upcoming RFI/RFP.
I’m glad to see the plan appears to have moved away from an earlier plan to build more parking at the sites. The land and money would be better spent on something more attractive to potential residents and visitors (housing, shops, restaurants, etc) that will bring growth to the city of New Haven rather than continue outdated car-oriented policies. The city is still making up for mistakes of the past in which everything was built for cars. Let’s use our precious land resources to benefit the growth and vibrancy of New Haven rather than add a few additional parking spots for drivers.
Thank you for your important observations.
Have environmental studies been performed on the two proposed building parcels? If yes, where can I find the reports? If not, will there be an RFQ/P for such studies?
Please see attached environmental report commissioned by NHPA (in 2 parts). This also references some prior study by others.
Union Station GeoEnvironmental Evaluation - Front Summay March 18, 2021 (part 1 of 2)
Union Station GeoEnvironmental Evaluation - Rear Appendices (Part 2 of 2)